


Exploration

by bunnysworld



Series: Have a Camelot Christmas 2017 [24]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 11:07:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13122450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Merlin is about to embark on a long trip.





	Exploration

**Author's Note:**

> 24 December!  
> Wheee! Package day in my country!
> 
> Have a Camelot Christmas 2017!

Merlin swallowed hard. Sitting at the terminal on Christmas Day, waiting for his flight to start boarding, was the first time in weeks that things seemed to slow down a bit. 

Ever since he had made the decision and booked this ticket, his life had been a whirlwind of arranging, finishing and meeting people. Just yesterday, his friends had surprised him with an early birthday party. They called it a fare-well party, but that wasn’t what it had been for him. He would be back in a year or so, if everything went well. 

All of his life, Merlin had dreamed of exploring magic in other parts of the world, learning about it, seeing what challenges magic users faced. He had postponed the trip again and again when he had this giant crush on Arthur. That didn’t lead anywhere, as he had learned, so this had been the right time to finally go. 

After a year of push and pull, them being really close and Arthur pulling away again, Merlin’s had enough, he needed a new start. What better time than to go on this exploration now? 

Yet, it hadn’t been easy to say good-bye to his best friends the day before. Especially when Gwen had started crying and with Arthur being particularly weird to him. Instead of pulling him into a hug like all the others had done, he had just waved and said something like “See you.”

It was the right time to go, even though part of his heart was heavy. 

Looking up, Merlin didn’t see any activity at the gate. It would take a few more minutes before they would start boarding. Checking to see if his mobile was fully charged, Merlin startled when someone slumped into the seat right next to him. The flight wasn’t fully booked, so the gate wasn’t crowded, why would anyone decide to sit so close if they didn’t have to?

“Hi.”

Merlin pulled his attention away from his mobile when he heard the familiar voice. 

“Close your mouth, Merlin, this look isn’t very becoming.”

“Arthur?”

“The one and only.”

Merlin didn’t point out that he doubted that there was only one Arthur around, but he let it go. “What…what are you doing here?”

“Boarding a flight.” Arthur beamed at him.

Blinking, Merlin tried to come up with an explanation for this. “Wha…why?” He could refrain from asking “Where are you going?” at the last minute.

Arthur looked at him for a long time. “You know…remember when you asked me if I wanted to come along?”

Merlin nodded. Of course he remembered. Arthur had laughed and explained that he couldn’t just run off for a year to explore weird magical things that he had no interest in. If Merlin was honest, it had hurt. He thought they had something going and that Arthur at least would consider it. 

“Ever since then, I’ve asked myself what kinds of things you might run into while you are out there on your own.”

“Arthur, I can defend myself. I am magic, you know?”

There was a weird look on Arthur’s face. “I know. And I thought…maybe I could be part of this for a while? Just to find out if there’s something to the fact that they say I was born of magic.”

“You know how that happened.”

“I know, but…” Arthur worried his lower lip with his teeth.

Just as the announcement that the flight was ready to board now came over the speakers, Merlin thought he heard Arthur mumble “What if I can’t be without you for such a long time?”

Merlin got up and shouldered his backpack. “You’ve got great timing, Pendragon.”

Arthur looked up at him. “If you don’t want me to come, I’ll just keep sitting here. I know the last year was kind of weird.”

“It was. If you have really made up your mind, though…” Merlin wasn’t sure, but his heart was working overtime. Had Arthur really decided to come along to be with him?

“I think I have.” Arthur still hadn’t moved out of his seat and just looked at Merlin.

A wide smile crept onto Merlin’s face and he gestured with his hand holding his boarding pass. “What are you waiting for?”

**Author's Note:**

> Since I'll be gone until tomorrow evening, the last drabble will be posted a lot later than you are used to ;)


End file.
